Josephine Chaplin, a renowned actor and the beloved daughter of the iconic Charlie Chaplin and his fourth wife, Oona O’Neill, breathed her last on the 13th of July in Paris, as confirmed by her family on Friday. The gifted artist, celebrated for her performances in notable films like Pier Paolo Pasolini‘s The Canterbury Tales, was 74 years old at the time of her demise.
Born in March 1949 in Santa Monica, California, Josephine was the sixth of the 11 children sired by the comedic screen legend, and the third of eight with O’Neill, herself an accomplished actor and the daughter of Nobel prize-winning playwright Eugene O’Neill.
Josephine's life took a momentous turn when she met O’Neill in 1942, eventually tying the knot the following year. According to the Chaplin Office, the star of the silent cinema finally found true happiness, with both of them seemingly finding their soulmates, despite the considerable age gap—Oona being just 18, and Charlie being 53.
Throughout her illustrious career, Josephine Chaplin graced the screen with her talent and presence in numerous films. Notable works include Menahem Golan’s politically charged Escape to the Sun, L’odeur des fauves alongside Vittorio De Sica and Maurice Ronet, a German-language Jack the Ripper with Klaus Kinski, and Daniel Petrie’s The Bay Boy, where she shared the screen with Liv Ullman and Kiefer Sutherland.
Interestingly, her acting journey began at the tender age of three when she made her debut in Limelight, a 1952 film written, directed, and starred in by her own father. Additionally, she also appeared in his 1967 movie, A Countess from Hong Kong. However, Josephine Chaplin predominantly made her mark in French cinema, featuring in films like Nuits rouges and À l’ombre d’un été.
In her later years, she took on the responsibility of managing the Chaplin family office in Paris and contributed to the establishment of a statue commemorating her father in Waterville, Ireland.
As fate would have it, she faced a harrowing incident soon after her father's death in 1978 when his body and coffin were stolen by two extortionists. Refusing to give in to their demands, the family saw the safe return of the remains 11 weeks later. Tragically, Oona O’Neill passed away in 1991.
In matters of the heart, Josephine Chaplin experienced two marriages, first with the Greek businessman Nikki Sistovaris, and later with the archaeologist Jean-Claude Gardin. Notably, she also shared a significant part of her life with Maurice Ronet, a former co-star.
Josephine is survived by her brothers Michael, Eugene, and Christopher; sisters Geraldine, Victoria, Jane, and Annette; as well as her sons Charly, Julien, and Arthur, as reported by the Hollywood Reporter. The announcement of her passing stated that a private funeral would be held in Paris, confined to close family members to cherish her memory in utmost intimacy.
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